Woman dies after alleged hit and run

The elderly victim of an alleged hit-and-run incident in Warrawong last week has died.

The 74-year-old Port Kembla woman was crossing Cowper Street around 9.20am on Thursday when she was allegedly struck by a small red sedan.

It is believed the woman was hit as the car, a Toyota Corolla, reversed.

She was stabilised by ambulance paramedics at the scene, before being taken to Wollongong Hospital suffering serious head injuries.

She underwent emergency surgery on Thursday and remained in a critical condition that night, but died in hospital yesterday.

Lake Illawarra police Inspector Steve Johnson said police were treating the incident as an alleged hit-and-run.

‘‘Police will allege that the driver failed to stop and render assistance. The vehicle involved was located a short time later in Todd Street, Warrawong, where a fire had been set inside the vehicle,’’ he said.

A 40-year-old man was later arrested and charged with negligent driving, driving whilst disqualified and failing to stop at a crash.

He faced Wollongong Local Court, where he was refused bail to reappear on Wednesday, December 19.